Chronic City: A Novel Audiobook

" Entertainingly trippy mind warp fiction, set in a sort-of real Manhattan, that uses its altered reality to shed light on and raise questions about modern cultural obsessions and assumptions. What's real? What isn't? What is of real value? How do you know? Scenes, characters and questions, questions, remain to rattle around my brain long after putting it down. "

" Tom Wolfe territory - second disappointing assay in a row - say it aint so "

" One of the strangest books I've read in a long time. That's in a good way, I think. "

" Remarkable novel. I'm almost ready to go back and start over (and I remember doing that for only one other novel, A Bend in the River) just to explore the complex storytelling, the intricate sentences, and everything in between. "

" I had to google what the heck I had just read which means it was more cerebral than I had anticipated. I liked it but I was confused at the end. Nuff said. "

" Excellent book. What worked was the examination of popular culture and if it does contain some hidden truth, or is this truth/meaning perpetually deferred in a Derridian shift. The ending felt weak to me, limiting the rating to four stars. Although the ending was consistent with the overall theme simulacrum. Some readers may put off by the Manhattan centered setting and characters. "

" Great moments. I'm tiring of super-realism. "

" Ordinarily I'm a fan of Lethem, but this one was missing something. Perhaps it would have been better with a bit of editing. 20+ pages of people getting high and bidding on e-bay for vases is, on the one hand, a textured illustration of the vacuous existence of rich New Yorkers, while on the other hand, really freaking boring. Also, it's possible to write a great novel without any sympathetic characters, but it isn't easy, and Lethem misses the mark. The plot also seems to be building to something, but just peters out somewhere around the 400 page mark. "

" good bones. a little new york snarky- but who doesn't love a good 'some girls' reference? "

" This is one of the most insightful and, in some ways, prescient books I've read in years. "

" Reviewed for Blogcritics. "

" I enjoyed it because I'm a Lethem fan but I don't know if I could recommend it to someone who isn't. "

" This doesn't rate as high my favorites, but I must admit that I love how Lethem is remaining defiantly idiosyncratic. Keep on, my man. "

" Too pretentious for my taste. "

" It was ok. The plot was entertaining. I liked the characters and the alternate Manhattan. I don't think it was well resolved though. Lethem likes to describe an event and then interpret it for us. And it usually has a grandiose meaning. "

" I wanted to love this book, but I didn't, I'm sad to say. I loved the language, I loved the characters, but somehow it didn't come together for me. That being said, I enjoyed reading it, and I'm glad that I did, but it's not one of my favorite Lethem books. "

" I finished this book totally confused and not necessarily in a good way. I found it dense without being illuminating or profound. Almost just one more treatise on what losers we are. That said, his writing style is delightful. "

" This is such a fun and satisfying read. If you like caffeine and weed-fueled paranoid conspiracy theories about New York City, this book is definitely for you. "

" The problem with this book is that it's a 250-page book inside the body of a near-500-page book. Large swaths of the middle are unnecessary and slow, but the end pays off the beginning. Would be a 4-star book with some serious editing. "

" Well, I tried. This was such an interesting premise, but halfway in I just couldn't keep wasting my precious reading time. I couldn't care about any of the characters. This is the second book by Lethem I've had to abandon. I think he is off my To-Read lest from now on. "

" As much as I like Lethem as an author, I had a hard time getting through this book. Not exactly sure why. Perhaps some of the characters or insights were a little too close to the bone. "

" Ummm?!? Has anyone read this yet? Comments? "

" Least favorite Lethem. I don't want to be mean to one of my favorite authors, so I'm not going to elaborate. Others might like it, its just not my thing. "

" I had to force myself to finish this book...I still don't get it. "

" Enjoyable, but I'm still waiting for Lethem to live up to the promise of "Motherless Brooklyn "

" Considering how much I've loved so much of Lethem's other work, this one was pretty disappointing. I could tell what he was attempting, but it came across as pretentious stoned <u>Seinfeld</u> TV show meets Thomas Pynchon. "

" A book so maddeningly ill-conceived as to make one reevaluate the previously cherished works of the author. If you wish to remember Fortress of Solitude fondly, avoid this one. "

" I felt this book, which could be described as a novel that features Manhattan as its main character, was in the league of David Mitchell and Kazuo Ishiguro for its multi-layered, rich literary material. It was funny, sad, real, imaginary, and had it's own sci-fi twist. "

" Didn't like this one quite as much as his other newer magical realism type books - just a little too weird and the characters weren't as sympathetic to me. Still really good. "

" I wanted to love this book, but I didn't, I'm sad to say. I loved the language, I loved the characters, but somehow it didn't come together for me. That being said, I enjoyed reading it, and I'm glad that I did, but it's not one of my favorite Lethem books. "

" Perkus is dead and I need Ice or I'm next! I've been on that space station too long or is it Amnesia Moon. What a fun read. "